Clowns
by missterio
Summary: Joker terrorizes shoppers at a popular mall in New York. Now the hostages can only hope the police or Batman will save them. ...or will anyone come to save them? Based on The Batman cartoon universe.
1. Too Many

**Fiction Rating: **T _(for language, violence, torture, and sensuality)_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Batman, or any characters from the show or the comics that DC does. Batman is originally created by Bob Kane.

**Author's Note: **This story is based on a dream I had about Joker. Oddly enough, because I can remember most of the dream so well, I decided to turn it into a short story. I originally wasn't going to upload to this site (just deviantART), but I thought to upload this chapter/new story and see what you guys think.

With that said, if you haven't at least started/finished reading my story _"Obsession"_ then you might be confused on some parts here. This story has nothing to do with _"Sick", _and will not affect it in any way.

**I do appreciate reviews, but no harm done if you decide not to. :)  
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Enjoy the story!**  
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Clown:__ [noun] a fool or comedian in an entertainment (as a circus)._

_[verb] :to act like a clown_

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Chapter One:**

**Too Many...**

_text message received: Can you come to the Virde Valley Mall today?_

_text message reply: Yes I can._

_2nd text message received: meet me there around 11. Hope to see you then._

This was the message Xack Hathaway received from Bruce Wayne early this morning. It's now about ten minutes to eleven, and Xack had just arrived outside of the Virde Valley Mall.

In the past, Xack only came to this mall a few times since her stay in New York. Even though Xack considered it to be the biggest mall she had ever lay eyes on, it was still dangerously crowded from within. She can see why it remains very popular: there were so many different kinds of shops and restaurants on the inside, it was almost pathetic on her part that she still never visited them all. There was a movie theater, a large furniture department store- which you swear is big enough to be its own store, and there was even a small, basement aquarium where visitors can come and look at the imported fish. So many diverse stores for Xack to even try to remember off the top of her head.

Xack hesitated on going inside; already she could see the many shoppers hustling and bustling from the glass doors she stood in front of. The girl was not very good with crowds, and a few times in her life, has suffered from anxiety attacks, and almost had a fainting spell once. _"But...that was in the past," _she thought, fidgeting with her hands slightly. _"Maybe now will be different. It's not like I won't try for Bruce's sake."_

She took a deep breath...and went inside.

The atmosphere in the mall was such a night-and-day contrast to the outside, it made Xack feel she just entered another world. As soon as she pushed on the glass doors, she was immediately greeted by many colorful balloons being tossed all around the place. The balloons weren't the only things she noticed though: it was the ones who created the chaos of colors.

Clowns.

Xack couldn't believe her own eyes when she spotted them, and there weren't just a few here and there across the floors, there was a clown at least about ten feet from another. The girl swore there were enough clowns to start a small army! _"Clowns..." _She whispered curiously in her head. _"I never thought a mall had clowns before. ...Why are there so many?"_ Her expression seem to change into that of suspicion as she walked around carefully. _"I think there are _too_ many clowns, if you ask me!" _She snorted in amusement to her own thoughts, biting her lip.

Suddenly, she made herself stop imagining capricious. _"Ugh! What am I thinking? I don't want to see any clowns! Clowns remind me of Joker!" _She shook her head disapprovingly. _"I don't want to be at a mall full of clowns! It's too nerve-wracking!" _Now Xack looked angry. _"Did Bruce know this was going on today?"_

Despite all the clowns, she managed to calm herself and not let the situation get the best of her. _"They're just clowns. Doesn't mean they have anything to do with Joker." _Xack did not want to think about that particular clown on any day or occasion. Of all the bad luck she suffered in her life thus far, she didn't want to think about the one person that's causing her current grief. She knew Joker carried perverted and rather sadistic ideas of her, and merely reminiscing about it once more just made her body shiver horribly. Even till this day, Xack isn't sure if whether meeting the Joker in Arkham was a good or bad thing for her. Sometimes she wonders how differently her life would of been if she never met him, or more importantly, if she never had set foot in an asylum.

Xack sighed. _"The past is the past. There's nothing I can do about it now. I need to quit thinking about it."_

So, through the rest of her time in the mall, the girl tried as hard as she could to not think about Joker. It would be tough, considering every turn or step she took, there was another clown in sight, performing tricks for the people around and creating weird objects or animals from the balloons they had on their cart nearby. As Xack passed by one clown, he offered her a balloon made to look a giraffe. She smiled shyly as she took it and thanked him for it.

After much browsing of the mall's shops, Xack's feet started to tire a little at this point, which made her want to find a place to sit for a minute and rest. She saw a large fountain close by, so she briskly strode over to it and sat down at the edge. She cracked a smile on the edge of her lips as she watched the water from the fountain spit out intriguing shapes and patterns.

As she sat there, she began to take in the mall around her again. It wasn't until this time did she consider that the inside seemed a little too festive looking, even though she reminded herself that right now the place was full of balloons and entertaining clowns.

A minute later, she peeked over her shoulder and onto a few security guards huddled close to each other talking. She figured whatever they were talking about must be about the clowns, because occasionally, a few guards gazed around and pointed right at some. Xack could barely hear them amongst the mall shoppers, but she could of sworn one guard was saying something about "the clowns didn't have permission to be in the mall."

Xack frowned. _"I don't know if I heard right, but if that's true..."_ She scoffed, _"Then how in the hell did they get in here in the first place?"_

When the security guards went away to talk to the nearest clowns, Xack decided to go through her pants pocket and take out her cellphone. She flipped it open to look at the time. It was eleven-twenty six. She raised an eyebrow and her lips parted slightly. "Wha-, but Bruce told me to be here at eleven, and now it's past eleven?" She quickly glanced around before her attention fell on the phone again. "So where is he?"

Xack assumed Bruce would call her when he arrived at the mall, but so far, she has received no such answer. Appearing nervous, Xack figured to just call Bruce and see what was keeping him. Xack repeated his cellphone number quietly to herself as she dialed. When she heard it begin to ring, she put it to her ear.

It took some seconds, but Bruce finally answered. "_Hello_?" He said, and by the tone of his voice, he sounded quite hasty.

"Hi. Bruce. It's me-"

"_Xack, this really isn't the best time to talk_," Bruce told her sternly, even a bit bitterly. "_I'm in an important meeting right now_."

Xack seemed confused. "Wh-wait. Meeting?- but...you told me to meet you at the Virde Valley Mall today," she said to Bruce, her voice rising in worriment.

Bruce sighed. "_Xack, I never called you_-"

"N-no, you didn't, that's why you text me to meet you at the mall." Xack felt like she wanted to cry now from distress.

"_I...never text you either_." He said to her hesitantly. "_You must of mistaken me for someone else on your phone_."

"No I didn't!" She shot back to him defensively. "It says right on my phone that the messages are from _you_." Then her voice grew quiet. "Um...Alfred didn't do this, did he?" She questioned him rather dumbly.

Bruce was silent for a moment. "_...No_..." Now Xack wanted to bury herself beneath the dirt for stupidity.

She scoffed nervously, "Well, who- who else could text me from your number?-" Suddenly, she stopped herself. Her mind raced with a million thoughts as to what was going on, and by the conversation on the phone, she could only think of one person who was capable of doing something so mischievous...

...but frightening.

"Br...Bruce..." Xack said into the phone ever so quietly and worriedly. Her tone became shaky. "If you didn't text me, then...I..." she swallowed hard. "I think I know...who..." Her quivering voice trailed off.

Bruce seemed to be coming to the same conclusion as Xack. "_Xack, get out of there_," he told her urgently. "_Get out of there now_-"

Xack gasped as her chat was abruptly cut off. She peered down to her phone, and on the screen, it flashed 'no signal.' _"No signal? But...but my signal was just _fine_!" _She immediately shoved her phone back into her pants and bolted right up from her seat.

Just then, the whole mall was filled with terrified screams. To Xack's horror, the clowns situated all over the place have now thrown their balloons aside to wield an assortment of weapons. There were clowns with flame throwers, high-powered water blasters, and there were a few with machine guns.

Clowns torched the stores and a few poor souls that ran by. Clowns blasted away security guards with powerful jets of water, and of course, the rest of the clowns fired warning shots into the air with their powerful guns. The cruel ones shot a few people just for the fun of it.

Xack shrieked when she was shoved to the side of the fountain by a terrified shopper. By the end of the day, she knew she was going to be bruised and battered by everyone. _"Oh my God, _if_ I make it to the end of the day!..." _Xack hastily got back up and forced herself to flee to the nearest exit of the mall.

Xack didn't get far when an explosion quaked the mall and sent her falling to the ground again, along with many others. She looked up and her eyes grew wide with terror when she saw one part of the mall blown away. One of the main exits was now blocked by rubble. Not too long after, a second explosion erupted, and another of the mall's exits had been blocked off as well. The echoed screams grew louder with each passing second. Xack became increasingly terrified by her surroundings, now realizing there was no where to run. _"They blocked off all the main exits!"_ As Xack found one of the smaller, fire escape exits, her heart sank when the clowns stood guard of those and shot anyone who tried to get past them.

When Xack got up and thought to just hide somewhere, her eyes scanned to all corners around to see if there was such a place. After searching, there wouldn't be, for there were too many clowns, and any one of them would spot her easily! All the girl could do was just try to remain unnoticeable and hoped to God none of the clowns would notice her and do great harm to her.

When things seemed like they couldn't get any worse, a group of clowns stormed in from one end of the mall and congregated near the center of the vicinity where Xack happened to be near.

All of a sudden, a loud voice blared through the mall. It sounded like someone was speaking through a megaphone of sorts. "Attention all shoppers!" The whimsical, maniacal voice boomed.

Xack froze. That voice... That all-too-familiar voice that haunted her every waking moment. The voice she never wanted to hear on this day, at least. She cupped her mouth to make herself not shriek in fear by just hearing it. Nevertheless, she turned and faced where the voice was heard, praying it wasn't whom she thought it to be.

From the large group of clowns, one emerged in particular that all the shoppers gasped, shrieked, and screamed at the top of their lungs upon recognizing his features. The crazy, green, dreadlocked hair. The red eyes with pinpoint, yellow pupils. The purple tailcoat with the cute, little boutonniere, and the infamous, trademarked feature: his bleached skin.

Xack breathed in and out heavily, trying to keep composer, regardless of what's happening. _"No..." _Tears welled in her eyes.

The Joker grinned as he eyed all the fearful people around. "This mall is now under new management!" He spoke into the large, comical megaphone he held in his hand. He laughed psychotically afterwards.

"I hope you enjoy your stay...!" He declared evilly to everyone, bearing a wider, crazier grin upon his face.


	2. Trapped

**Chapter Two:**

**Trapped**

It took over an hour to get everyone situated to Joker's liking. The injured were moved into a shop all of their own, while the dead...well, Xack didn't want to know what Joker's men did with their bodies. The rest of the fortunate who weren't all that hurt were grouped towards the center point of the mall. Joker was up on the second floor, looking down on everyone with that ridiculous megaphone in his hand.

Before Joker addressed to the huge crowd of mall shoppers, he whispered something to his clown-faced men and then peeked into the store that held the injured folk. Xack couldn't help but wonder if he suspected that she might of been one of those people. She actually felt a little flattered inside if Joker _was_ concerned for her, but a split-second later, she scolded herself for thinking such thoughts. _"What's the matter with you! Don't blush or anything! This is _Joker _we're talking about! You don't even know if he was looking for you."_

As Joker faced the group of people once more, Xack crouched behind the large fountain so he wouldn't spot her easily. "Weeeelll...how is everyone doing, hmm?" He spoke into his megaphone with curious glee. "Comfy? Cozy?... Hope not." He chuckled mischievously. "The other day in Arkham, ol' Pengy made a bet, you see, that I couldn't take this mall under my wing... Boy, wait till he gets a load of _this_!" When he began to laugh psychotically, everyone around had to cover their ears. The laughter through the megaphone was piercing enough to blow anyone's eardrums!

"Why, I bet that birdbrain is blowing smoke from his Pinocchio nose! Won't _that_ be a sight to see!" He chuckled threw clenched teeth while everyone below started to murmur and mutter things under their breath. Joker witnessed this and growled lowly. Everyone's mouths snapped closed when they heard this angered sound. "Now, this gets me to thinking... What to do with all you sad, little people..." He gazed up, as in serious thought about it, but it didn't last long. He answered back cheerily, "Nothing!"

While Joker cupped a hand over the megaphone to giggle and say a few words to the clowned henchmen that stood at his sides, Xack couldn't help to wonder that hearing "nothing" wasn't as good as she thought it was. She looked extremely nervous, and seeing the other terrified and worried people didn't help her feel any better.

To Xack's astonishment, a person within the group stood up and shouted up at the Joker, "Just what are you gonna do with us?"

Xack banged her head on the fountain seat. _"Why did he have to say something?"_ She knew everyone should just keep their mouths shut. Speaking out of line could make the situation worse for everybody. _"God, some people are so damn stupid!"_

Oddly enough, Joker faintly heard this man. While the henchmen left Joker's side, the clown turned back to the people and replied, "Didn't you hear me the first time, or do I need to give your ears a good _carving_?" He said more as a threatening statement than a question. The man who spoke shrunk back into the crowd. Joker grinned. "...but you heard right, folks: nothing! I won't lay a finger...or card...or _knife_ into any one of ya. Clown's honor!" He comically put a hand over his heart as if to honor something, but suddenly, his tone grew darker, "_However_..."

Xack scoffed. She knew there would be a catch. "If any of you try to escape, my clown-faced henchies will bring the lucky fellow- or _mademoiselle_- to see me personally!" His grin widened sadistically. "...and then the _real_ fun can begin!" The people below gasped while Joker cackled loudly. "Other then those little nit-picks, you're all free to do whatever you want! So go crazy! Go _nuts_ out there, everyone!" Then he waved everyone away. "So run along now! Shoo! No running away now, you hear?" He giggled as he walked away from the edge.

While the crowd continued to sit and talk quietly amongst themselves, Xack hastily bolted in a different direction opposite of Joker. If what he said was the truth, and that everyone was still free to walk around the mall, then Xack wanted to be as far away from Joker as she possible could. She didn't care if his men are posted at every corner around the mall. As long as she didn't have to see _him_, then she was fine with it.

_"...but...but why is he doing this?"_ Xack thought worriedly. _"If this is just a bet, then...wouldn't it be over now? He did what he wanted to do, so...why isn't he...leaving?"_

Xack practically whirled into a large clothing store, hoping other people would stay out and leave her be. She sat against a wall of the store and pressed her legs up to her chest, shivering with fear. _"What am I going to do now?"_ Xack contemplated miserably, burying her face in her hands. _"Where's the cops? Where's Batman? Shouldn't he be here by now?"_ She shook her head. _"Isn't anyone going to save us?"_

"Now I wish I never came..." Xack said quietly, sniffling a little. "I knew I should of left as soon as I saw those clowns! I knew they looked suspicious to me!" She made a frustrated noise as she clutched her head tightly. "What am I going to do if Joker finds me?-"

"Hey!" Xack lifted her head and gazed towards the entrance of the store. There, she saw one of the clowned henchmen looking at her suspiciously. He tapped his gun lightly on the entrance frame. "What're you doing in here?"

Xack should of figured one of Joker's "security" would find her eventually. She just hoped it would of been later.

The girl stuttered on her words. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out of it. "N-nothing..." she managed to say finally.

The man stood there and stared at her intently, probably considering if she was questionable enough to bring to Joker. After a minute or so, the man grunted and left the store.

Xack sighed in relief and stood up. "I'll never get any peace with all of them around..." she grumbled to herself, exiting the store. She looked around and thought of where to go next. _"All I want is to be left alone..."_

It wasn't too long after when the cellphone in her pocket went off. Xack shook and immediately took it out, flipping it open. To her horror, it was a text message...from "Bruce."

_test message received: where are you? I can't seem to find you anywhere._

Xack's head titled forward a bit. Her whole body felt like it was going to give way any second. She froze up with terror. _"N-no...signal. No...signal... No...signal." _She kept repeating in her mind fearfully, still aware that Joker cut off any reception to phones within the mall. _"So...why is mine working?"_

She let out a staggering breath, wondering what she should do about the text message. _"Just lie," _a part of her conscious told her hastily. _"Just...lie. Joker doesn't know you're here. He hasn't seen you. Just lie."_

Xack swallowed hard, and typed back:

_text message reply: I'm so sorry I didn't come. When I saw all those clowns at the mall, I got scared and left._

She waited a minute to see if she'd get a response back, and sure enough, he sent one.

_2nd text message received: Too bad. I was really hoping to see you._

Xack breathed out heavily as she got this message. She frantically searched around the mall to see if Joker was anywhere in sight. When he wasn't, she swiftly ran to a different area. She hoped she didn't look too obvious, for some of the people- including the henchmen- saw her frantic actions.

In this new area, there was a small lounge spot, where people could go and rest their feet when they tired from walking. There were already people taking up places on the lounge chairs and benches, but Xack managed to squeeze herself onto one the benches. She caught a few glares from the people she sat next to, obvious they didn't want her taking any more room up.

Xack returned sheepish looks to these people, silently apologizing to them. _"Maybe I should just sit on the floor or something. I don't like sitting by people anyways."_

Just when she thought about getting up to go sit somewhere else, her cellphone beeped again. She jumped, and took it out to look at the third text message she received.

_3rd text message received: liar_

The girl chocked on her own breath when she read this, and her body started to shake with fright. Before she had even the chance to reply back, another text message was brought up just as quickly.

_4th text message received: Eyecu_

For a second, Xack actually scrutinized the message before her. It didn't make any sense. "Eye-c-u...?" When she spoke this softly to herself, it was then that she gasped loudly.

_I see you_

Xack immediately searched around herself for Joker, but she didn't see anything. She knew if someone around her saw Joker, they would definitely respond in some way. Then she looked up higher to the second floor. All hell froze over when she saw him: the Joker. He was peering down on her from the floor above, grinning manically as he waved to her with a cellphone in his hand.

When she watched Joker stroll away to head for the nearest staircase down, Xack flew from her seat to hide in a store that wasn't quite near where she sat. Her heart sank though, knowing she couldn't hide from Joker forever, especially with his goons all over the place. _"But...I just need to try. Maybe help will come before Joker...gets his hands on me."_ She shivered with slight revulsion.

Xack ran into another clothing store, guessing that the clothes would hide her well and perhaps "camouflage" her from Joker. She got onto the floor and hid behind a rack of men's shirts. She sat there trying not to move an inch, and waited...

A few minutes passed by when she thought she heard someone. Unfortunately for her, the shirts before her obstructed her view of almost everything. All she could rely on was sound. She listened well, and groaned when she heard several voices; one of them she could of sworn said something like, "she's in there." She seriously hoped she was wrong on that translation.

The sound of feet walking carefully came closer to where Xack hid. She held her breath and fought hard to not shake out of fear. To her dismay, she could scarcely make out a pair of bare feet to the right of her, knowing them to be Joker's. A minute later, he strode on by, and Xack felt her heart skip a beat on that one.

She heard him walk away, and figured she was almost safe for the time being. _"Oh my God. He didn't see me. He didn't-"_

All of a sudden, a hand shot out from underneath and snatched her foot. Xack screamed as she was dragged out from her hiding spot. Her view of clothing has fleetingly switched to the Clown Prince looming above her, having an odd, but eerie smile on his face.

Before Xack could try to attack Joker in an attempt to escape his grasp, he was already on top of her, and the next thing she knew, his hand was over her mouth...followed by a repugnant odor that made everything go dark around her.

She wanted to stay awake. She wanted to know what he was going to do with her. The last thing she could recall, was Joker's perpetual grin on his face. A grin that felt like it would burn into her cranium for ages to come.

* * *

Xack's eyes shot open, and the first thing she noticed was that she was laying onto of something...quite comfortable. A bed.

_"A...bed?" _She thought, and her eyes gazed down, and sure enough, she was lying on top of a rather short one.

The next thing she noticed was that Joker's more _trusted_ goons, Punch and Judy, were posted on either side of the bed, staring straight ahead. Seeing this, Xack wanted to panic. _"Oh my God, what's going on?" _As she sat up, she took in her surroundings quickly. All around were couches, tables, beds, dressers... It didn't take her long to come to the conclusion that she was in a furniture store, with rather poor lighting. _"Or is the lighting supposed to be that dim?"_

"Sleep well, mah dear?" Said a mirthful voice that Xack wished she didn't have to hear.

Xack whimpered slightly and turned to the side to see Joker casually walking up to the bed, grinning as usual. She scooted herself onto the opposite end, away from the clown. Joker sat on the edge and continued to stare at Xack with a hungered look to him. Neither of them spoke for the longest time. It wasn't until Joker saw Xack squirm a little in place, did he finally speak up. "I'm so thrilled you got my message!" He said to her gleefully, holding up a cellphone in his hand. "I didn't think you'd show!"

Xack breathed in and out heavily, but that changed quickly. She now glared at him, holding up her own cellphone. "I wouldn't have come if I known it was _you_ who sent me that text message! I thought it was Bruce!" She spouted back angrily.

When Joker heard that particular name, his expression darkened. "Yes..._Brucie boy_..." He plucked the cellphone out of her hand and waved it back and forth to her. "Ah, silly me!" He said, his tone changing back to its perky self. "I can't have you running around here with a working phone! It might give these dull people some hope!" He laughed heartily while Xack felt defeated in some ways.

Joker's eyes shifted to the two large goons at the sides and waved them away. "I'll take it from here, boys. Stay outside incase this little girl decides to flee before I'm through..."

Xack seemed worried when the two left. She hated the situation enough, but she didn't want to be alone with Joker. When they were out of view, he turned back to her, moving himself onto the bed more. The girl swallowed nervously and shied away from him.

"I see you still wear that necklace I gave you..." He remarked, reaching out a hand to grab the dangling necklace Xack wore. A necklace with a large, crystal bottom with a castle on top of it. He cocked his head to the side. "You must still like me if you're wearing it."

The girl grunted and tore the piece of jewelry from his hand. "I just like it, that's all." She grumbled, still looking away from him.

Joker pouted. "Awh...don't be like that, Xackie!" He said to her with a hint of sadness in his tone. "Why can't we just be 'friends' again, hmm?" His eyes widened in anticipation. "Why won't you like me?"

"Because-" Xack had to weigh on her choice of words for a moment. "Because I don't want to be friends with a _monster_ like you!" She sneered, her green eyes flashing at him. "If I would of known sooner what you were really like, I...I would of- I..." She paused for a mere second to regain herself. "...I should of done what my doctor told me to do: ...change my schedule before it was too late..." A few tears rolled down her eyes as she looked onto Joker, whose expression seemed a little taken aback by her words. "I wish you would leave me alone..." She sobbed.

Joker leaned back and tried to process what she had spoken. With him, however, not much got by him. He didn't want to take her words into consideration. He didn't believe her. "So...I'm a 'monster', huh?" He said with a husky voice, and Xack didn't like it.

Xack gasped when Joker grabbed her wrist and thrust her towards him. She struggled to get out of his grasp, but he just tightened his hold on her. "Don't think you're so _innocent_, Xack Hathaway," Joker told her harshly. "I know you better than anyone! Playing innocent just to manipulate people to do what you want with them!..."

The girl continued to fight with him, but she shot back defensively, "I don't 'manipulate' people! I would never do that!" Finally, she broke free from his nimble fingers and rubbed her sore wrist.

Joker chortled. "Yeah, right."

Xack got up, and Joker followed. She tried to get away. She sprinted towards a way back into the mall, but Punch and Judy caught her and brought her back to Joker. She thrashed wildly against them, attempting to get herself free. While the two held each of her arms, Joker casually walked up to her, hands clasped behind his back.

He grinned as he waved a finger at her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I told you: no running off until I'm finished speaking with you," He scolded, closing the distance between them. "Now, I didn't bring ya here for nothing, dearie. You do have a choice to make..." Xack looked at him furiously as she waited to hear his proposal. "You can join me and help bring utter _madness_ to this new asylum of mine! ..or..." He pointed behind her and out onto the mall area. "You can join those dingle-dorks out there and be treated like those Arkham flunkies! ...and Xack..." He got closer to her face, while the girl turned her head to the side to avoid his awful gaze. He leered at her. "...I really _hate_ the flunkies."

She stared back at him with a most enraged look- a murderous one. No one saw what was coming next. With a blink of an eye, Xack spat in his face, causing the clown to flinch in shock. Punch and Judy looked at one another and wondered what the clown was going to do with her then. Joker growled inwardly, but his mood shifted to a lewd smile. He wiped the saliva away with his fingers, but to Xack's horror, he put them to his lips to get a taste of her; an action which made the girl whimper and cringe with great disgust.

"A pity I can't taste _all_ of you," Joker told her suggestively, making Xack turn away in humiliation.

"I should of figured little goody-two-shoes Hathaway wouldn't want to be with a criminal genius like myself." He gesticulated, putting a hand to his chest for assurance. "So...that's why I made you this-" Joker went into his coat and brought out a beautiful choker necklace, which Xack thought it looked a little too stunning for someone like her to wear. The front of the choker had a dangling piece of silver shaped and designed to look like one of Joker's trademark playing cards.

"This is for _you_, Xackie dear!" Joker lilted, putting it up to her neck, and Xack immediately kicked the air to keep him away. He appeared exasperated now. "Oooh, such a feisty, little fighter, aren't we?" He purred excitedly, delighted to see Xack having more energy in her than he believed she even had.

"I'm not wearing that!" She said to him coldly, her arms beginning to feel like Jell-O at this point.

"Awh, but I made this especially for you!" His eyes narrowed determinedly. "...and you're going to wear it..."

Before she knew it, Xack cried frighteningly as she was thrown to the floor, and the two goons still held her down to keep her from thrashing about. Joker hastily got on top to put the choker on her, all the while Xack trying to twist and turn her way free of the three brutes.

It didn't take long for Joker to get it around her neck, and all three men immediately got off of her. Xack was finally relieved to be let go, but now she wanted Joker's gift off her throat. "Wha-what is this?" She cried angrily, trying to pry the choker off.

Joker grabbed her arm to make her settle down. With his other hand, he held up a device with a screen. On it, a map of the mall was seen with a little, green dot blinking in a certain spot. "If you won't be a good girl and stay with me..." He waved the thing back and forth to her. "This tells me where _exactly_ you'll be at all times. I don't want to lose you again now that I found you!" He said to her in a falsetto tone. "I want to see my pretty, little Xack wherever and _when_ever I want to!"

Her eyes widened. "This...this thing is a _tracking device_?" She shrieked, now wanting it off more than ever.

Joker nodded happily. "Uh huh! Of course!" He slung an arm around her shoulder, but Xack was too dumbstruck to fight him off this time. "While I do enjoy our games of 'cat and mouse', but...I have to admit, I think you're a little _too_ good at playing the mouse!" He slapped a hand to his head playfully, chuckling.

Xack eyed him hatefully. "If you think this is going to stop me from getting out of this mall-"

"Oh, but it will!" Joker chimed in gleefully, almost squealing with the things he desired to explain to her. He let go of Xack and gestured a hand to her choker. "You see, I know you're such a clever and manipulating little minx, that I know you'll get out of here someway...somehow..." He held up the tracking receiver. "Your beautiful jewelry is also my 'trigger'."

Xack looked perplexed. "A...trigger?..." She questioned nervously.

Joker's grinned. "My men are still setting up, but...dearie...if you set one foot out of this mall...everyone here is going to be sleeping with the fishies!" He covered his mouth as he giggled psychotically.

Xack's eyes boggled. "What?" She couldn't even comprehend everything the Joker has done!

Joker outstretched his arms, "I can see it now," he began to say, "You escaping, cheering that you got away from the big, bad clown- meanwhile, all these poor saps get the grins of a lifetime!" He burst into laughter and held his gut to keep himself from falling over in complete joy.

The girl backed away from him, clutching her head. "Wh-why are you doing this? Why?" She demanded stressfully.

When his laughter's have ceased, he replied, "It's all a bet, and I intend to make it last as long as I can. This is all just a game- a challenging, but a very fun game, you see." He gazed upwards. "...a game I want Batsy to stay out of... He's always such a party pooper, you know!"

Xack plopped down on to the floor. Her head was cloudy, and buzzing with all the recent events playing over and over again in her mind.

Joker kneeled down to her level, cocking his head to get a better look at her weary features. "What are you going to do now, Xack?" Joker asked menacingly as he got up close to her face once more. Xack looked back at him with her lips parted slightly. "You can't escape, and I'm always going to know where you are..." he bit his lip blissfully while the girl let out a faltering breath. She didn't have an answer for him, and wished she could come up with some retort.

As he stood up, Joker looked on to his goons and jerked his head in her direction. "Show my dearest to the door, will you?" He ordered them nonchalantly.

Xack cried out when Punch hauled her up off the floor and proceeded out to the mall area. When he took a few steps outside the furniture store, he rudely dropped Xack to floor. He non-caringly went back inside while Xack was to ponder in misery.

She stood up slowly, and started to walk away while grabbing a hold of her arm. She rubbed it as her head tilted down in shame. _"If...if Batman can't save us- save _me_, then..." _She bit her lip to keep herself from crying. _"Then how am I going to get myself out of this one?"

* * *

_

to **BlackFairysDeathTome: **lol, you think they click? I'm glad you think they do, and I'm sorry it took me this long to post something (even if it's a different Batman story). I still hope to type up another chapter to 'Sick'...sometime soon (I do have some of it typed up). I always try hard to make Joker insane and sadistic, and...well, I hope you enjoy him here as much as in the other stories I've done. Also: hope you didn't have to wait long for this chapter to come up. ^^; Thank you for the review!


	3. Terror

**Chapter Three:**

**Terror**

Xack hugged the railing on the second floor to support herself as she kept trailing away from Joker's makeshift "base" in the furniture store. She wanted to just collapse to the floor and sob loudly in frustration of the situation Joker dragged her into.

She thought she wouldn't at least be hearing nor seeing him for some time again, but she was wrong. Someone calling out to her in a sing-song voice stopped her dead in her tracks, spine tingling with fright. "Oh Xackiiiiiiiieeeeee!..."

Xack peeked over her shoulder to see Joker heading towards her with a mischievous grin on his face. Her eyes widened. "No!" She breathed fearfully, picking up her pace to stay ahead him. At one point she began running, but that was short lived when she suddenly and unexpectedly collided with a young man who just happened to be exiting a store nearby. The impact sent the two crashing to the floor, leaving Xack little room to see what she had done to the unsuspecting person.

"Hey! WATCH IT!" The young man hollered at her angrily. Xack looked up to see the face of the victim with a most angered expression on him. It appeared she also knocked a smoothie of sorts from his hands, for it was now spilled between them. She clenched her teeth nervously. She didn't mean for this to happen.

The young man quickly stood back up to see the mess before him. He groaned irritably. "What the hell?" He shouted, arms wide out.

Xack stayed rooted to her spot, peering up at him with mournful eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry. It's not like I did it on purpose," she told him apologetically, but it didn't seem to get through to him.

He scoffed, crossing his arms and glaring down at her. "Oh, so you just-" he cut himself off as his own eyes grew wide with fear, staring straight past her.

Xack narrowed her gaze curiously, but then followed his sight to see what caught his attention: Joker. She gasped quietly as the clown closed the distance between himself and the younger two.

Joker peered down on the nervous girl with a suggestive grin. "You forgot your shoes," he slowly drawled, and he held up a pair by the laces as if they were germ ridden.

Xack's mouth was slightly agape as her eyes quickly darted to her feet, which she noticed that she really did forget her shoes. Without even realizing it, she strangely said aloud, "Oh my God. I don't have any shoes on." She wriggled her feet and cocked her head in astonishment.

"Yes..." Joker's grin grew wider, his eyes staring off elsewhere, "And now you have them." Just as he was beginning to turn himself around, his piercing eyes settled on the dumbfounded young man close by. Joker growled softly, eyeing the younger one suspiciously before he made his way back into his make-shift space in the furniture store.

The boggled-eye young man took his gaze off from Joker and now peered down to Xack, whom was starting to put her shoes back on her feet. His eyes grew wide as he tried to fathom what the hell just took place before him.

"Oh!..." He pointed to the girl and questioned with great curiosity, "Why the hell did you take your shoes off?"

Xack made an odd grunting noise. "I-I didn't," she answered back bashfully, now putting on the other shoe. "At least...I don't think I did..." she trailed off quietly. She was uncertain _how_ her shoes came off. _"...Why were they off?..."_

The young man raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What do you mean you don't _think_ you did? I mean- what, did 'he' take your shoes off?"

"I said I don't _know_!" Xack stressed frustratingly. She began to think he was being too nosy about all this.

As she stood up, she got a better look at him, and immediately his appearance had her taken aback in shock. She did not expect the young man's overall attire and makeup to be so..._dark_. It was probably her first time she came face-to-face with an actual Goth. Sure, when she was in highschool, she'd seen students dress in odd, dark outfits, but she never befriended or talked to any of them.

Right now though, was different.

"...Hello?" The Goth tilted himself to the side as Xack seemed to be gazing at him so strangely. "What the hell's wrong with you? -Wha, you never seen someone like me before?" A small smile of amusement came over his face.

Xack gasped out of her thoughts. "Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stare..." She shied away from looking at him now.

He rolled his eyes, looking to the opposite wall. "Tcht, whatever." He looked at her again, shrugging his shoulders. "So, are you gonna tell me what's going on between you and him?"

"Wha-what do you mean?" Xack quickly replied, staring back at him as well.

He gestured a hand to her feet. "Well, obviously you were with that Joker guy, because you left your shoes with him, so I'm thinking maybe you two..." The Goth gesticulated with his hands, but Xack still wasn't quite clear what he was getting at.

Suddenly, it hit her, and she looked slightly annoyed. "Are you implying that I'd _slept_ with him?" He half-nodded to her. "You think that just because my _shoes_ were off?" Her voice started to rise in anger.

He waved his hands out at her in defeat. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! No need to get so _offended_, okay? It's just...from what I understand, usually people don't get away from Joker _alive_, or...'unharmed'." Xack's angered expression lessened on him. "It's just..._highly_ unusual to me, that he just let you go...without 'doing' anything to you." He rubbed his head, and then turned himself the other way to leave her. "Whatever, it's not like I really care what he did to you. I'm just gonna go..."

_"...he just let you go without _'doing' _anything to you..." _As the words rang in her head, she remembered Joker had placed that tracking device of a choker around her neck. Xack started struggling with it again to pry it off, but it seems Joker's no fool on how to make it completely "lockable" to her.

"Wait!" Xack called out to the Goth pleadingly, one hand still touching the leather choker.

Even though a bit away from her now, he still heard and barely glanced over his shoulder. Xack swiftly ran up to him and showed him the choker. "Can you get this off me? It's hard for me to get a good look at it since there are no clear mirrors around..."

The young man sighed...or groaned irritably- Xack couldn't tell. He casually walked back over to her and inspected the choker around her neck. When his face came closer, did Xack arch her back away from him. He stood upright and crossed his arms. "You know, I can't get a good look at this if you keep backing away from me!"

Xack let out a weary breath. "I'm sorry," she apologized dejectedly. "I'm not used to people being that close to me..." She tried to become more unmoving. "I won't move again, so...can you please look at it and see if there's a way to get it off?"

The young man didn't say a word as he leaned in once more to look over the leather choker around her neck. Xack shivered when she felt his fingers slowly slide around the choker, trying to feel for any depressions or abnormalities within it. As his inspection came to a short close, he shook his head. "...No...I don't...see any way to get this off..." He said to her in a soft, monotone voice, still concentrating on the unusual choker.

"Well..." Xack put a hand on the little card decoration that hung from the choker. "Is that anything important? I mean, does it look like a tracking device could be placed here?"

"Wha? Tracking device?" He took the cheap metal with his fingers. He pulled and felt around it...and shook his head again. "No. This thing is pretty cheap...and it could easily be twisted off, see-"

"-NO!" Xack rudely shoved him away when his fingers began twisting the metal around. If that was an important piece to the choker, she was afraid it might set something off. What that is, she had no idea, but if she planned on ditching the choker, she wanted everything still intact, especially the little metal piece.

The Goth scoffed at her. "What the hell's your problem?" He wondered, since he felt he "graciously" took his time out to help someone like her. "Anyways, I don't see any way of getting that off. I don't see any lock on it." A coy smile came upon him. "Why would you put something on that can't come off?"

Xack shied away as she toyed around with the choker. "I _didn't_ put it on myself," she told him sourly. "Joker did."

He appeared slightly stunned now. "Oh. He did, did he?"

"_Yes_..." She stressed a bit angrily.

The Goth put his hands in his pockets. "So...is that why you asked about the whole 'tracking device'? Did he put that in there somehow?" He wondered cautiously.

Xack nodded. "Yeah..."

"Shit, glad I didn't get if off then!" He said in great relief. "That's all I need is to be tortured and _slaughtered_ by that psycho clown, because I took his toy off _you_." He took a few steps away from her, baring his teeth disgustedly.

"S-so, you won't help me now?" Xack sounded as if she were about to cry.

"Tcht, I don't think so! If that is a tracking device, then obviously he wants to keep tabs on you. I don't want _nothing_ to do with _anyone_ from Arkham!" He turned on his heel and briskly walked in another direction, away from Xack.

"Wh-wh-wait!-"

"See ya!" He raised a hand at her in salutations, but had no desire to look back on her.

Xack's body slumped forward, watching that Goth quickly getting away from her. Then again, she couldn't blame him for wanting to get away. No one is going to want to help someone that has anything to do with Joker, or anyone from Arkham. She knew she was on her own...and she hated it. Xack put a hand over her mouth in horror, eyes glancing to all corners of the mall...or just to places she can see around her. _"Oh my God, what am I going to do?"_ She panicked in her head, watching some people around her mumbling insanities to one another, or hugging themselves out of fear that this could be the end for them. _"This is a first for me to say this...but..." _She hugged herself now, biting her bottom lip to the point of pain.

"I don't want to die here." A few tears streamed down her face and hit the floor below her. She wiped them away and began her terrifying exploration of the mall.

The once bustling, busy mall with content shoppers, was now filled with frightening, clowned henchmen of the Joker, who watched over everyone with keen interest, especially those that appeared to be doing something of great suspicion. What made Xack nervous as all hell, was that each one had some kind of weapon in their hands.

She remained wandering around on the second floor, occasionally glancing over the railing to see what was going on below. Nothing of interest caught her attention...until she neared a group of young women, who were sitting in a lounge area on the floor below. Most of the girls were circling one in particular, whom was seated on an ottoman, leaning forward and clutching her head in distress.

When Xack neared from being directly above them, she heard the young woman on the ottoman cry out, "It's not fair!" She sniffled and looked up onto her female companions.

As she sobbed a bit more, one of the other girls got closer to her and tried to comfort her. "Oh my God, Megan, don't cry. I'm sure the cops are all over this. They'll get us out." she tried to reassure the depressed girl.

The girl sitting on the ottoman, Megan, looked up and wiped her eyes carefully to not smear any eye makeup. A half sarcastic chuckle came out of her, as if she couldn't believe the current predicament. "You know...if only I gotten my dress _yesterday_ instead of today, I wouldn't be in this goddamn mall!" She stifled more tears lingering in her eyes.

Then Megan leaned in to her circle of friends, whispering something among them, although Xack did make out the word 'Joker' being said between them. She could only assume Megan had insulted the clown in some form or other.

"What's taking the cops so long anyways?" One friend piped up, breaking the quietness. "I mean, what are they waiting for? I thought cops get all over these 'hostage situations'." The others shrugged, sighing drearily.

Megan snorted, crossing her arms impatiently. "Yeah, well, if I don't get out of her soon, I'm going to-" Suddenly- feeling like she was being watched- peered right up at Xack, looking raged that she was being eavesdropped on. Her friends gazed up as well, curious as to whom Megan was looking at.

Seeing the rather disgusted and repulsed expressions on the slightly older girls, Xack shuddered back into her own reality, finally realizing that she had been staring too long. She turned on her heel and walked away from the railing so she was out of view from the girls below. She clenched her teeth together nervously. _"Oh no, I-I didn't mean to stare that long..."_ Xack said pitifully in her mind, _"but they were talking so _loud_. I'm surprised no one else was staring."_

She sighed to herself, now beginning her walk again, browsing the different stores in a whole different "light" now. _"This mall is huge. It's not like I'll be seeing those girls again."_

Xack felt she didn't have the freedom she wanted when she would try to casually examine the many stores the mall had to offer, for the henchmen Joker had all over watched everyone to..._closely_. Besides that, as Xack kept on her somewhat leisurely stroll, she witnessed the clowned men terrorizing people here and there. Some were harassing women, while others liked to torture. She assumed they weren't supposed to be doing anything of the sort, since the mild-mannered ones would whisper to the meaner lot to stop their actions. "Remember? Joker told us he'll be doing the torturing." One henchman said to the other. Xack shook her head in disbelief.

When she neared a flight of stairs to go down one level, she jumped in place as a man suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs close by. It didn't take her long to see that someone was being dragged by two painted-face goons across the floor. Obviously this poor soul really didn't want to cooperate...or keep quiet.

"NOOOO!" The man screamed, attempting to thrash wildly from Joker's henchmen. "NOOO! DON'T MAKE ME SEE HIM! I WON'T DO IT AGAIN! JUST LET ME GO, AND I WON'T DO IT AGAIN!"

Unfortunately for this man, the clowned men couldn't care less, and as Xack kept watching- Joker, himself, did eventually come along with a devious grin on his face. The henchmen halted in place.

"Ooooo, we have a taker, folks!" Joker squealed, almost clasping his hands together in excitement. "And, uh, what did this one do?" He asked with curious glee.

"He beat one of your guys with a steel bat," answered one of the clowned henchmen, whom took his fist and bashed it against the shrieking man's skull (making Xack gasp with fright). "And now we're one man down." He added grumpily.

Joker pouted, but than a wider, more sinister grin crept up on his bleached face. "Awh, that's just too bad." The henchmen made the captured one stand upright so Joker could get a better look at him. The frightened man coward in fear, not knowing what the "leader" was going to do to him.

"No, no. Please, don't- don't kill me..." The man stuttered fearfully, eyes red and swollen from the on-going tears.

Now Joker gasped, but it wasn't out of shock. "_'Kill you'_?" Joker repeated with feign concern. He smiled innocently. "I don't want to _kill_ you..." He grabbed the sobbing man's face with both hands. "But I won't have anyone _frowning_ while I'm around..." He added darkly.

Just then, the man screamed loudly in agony, and Xack had to squint and cock her head to see what Joker was doing to him. Then she cried out herself. It took a minute for her to see, but Joker had miniature knives tucked carefully between his fingers, which he was using to cut open the sides of the victim's mouth, causing great pain that Xack couldn't begin to fathom. Her mouth dropped open at the blood beginning to pool from underneath him, with Joker's hands covered in the same liquid. "Now what fun would it be if I killed you, when instead I could just _torture_ you until I get that _smile _on your face! HA, HA, HHAAAAAAH!"

Then it hit Xack: Joker was carving the man's face into a grotesque smile! Skin peeling away sickeningly from the sheer force Joker used with the knives. She couldn't believe the sadistic grin plastered on the clown's face. She just _couldn't believe_ he was _enjoying_ doing this to the man!

Unable to keep her terrified thoughts to herself, Xack's hands came up to her own face as she shrieked, "Oh my God!"

Joker immediately dropped his hands and turned in Xack's direction upon hearing her voice. The girl's eyes were wide and more focused on the man though, whose head was tilted down as blood gushed from his mouth and cheeks. The sight was already too much for her to bear.

"Xackie!" The clown called excitedly as he waved a bloody hand to her. "What a co-ink-e-dink!" His eyes narrowed suggestively at her. "Want to join me?..." he gestured a hand to the victim, which by this point, she couldn't tell if the man was passed out or even still alive; or perhaps he became too exhausted with pain to even speak now.

So many thoughts were whirling in her head, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was, "What's the point of having this thing, if we're going to keep running into each other!" She shouted angrily, tugging the choker around her neck for good measure.

Then she stormed off to a level below irritably, not knowing how she should feel after witnessing the horrific event. Of course, other mall hostages were watching as well with terror...

Without even looking at the henchmen behind him, Joker said, "Eh...she'll come around eventually."

When she felt she was out Joker's view, she placed a hand on one of the store walls as she started sobbing quietly. Xack sniffled and wiped and tears forming in her eyes. _"Why did this happen to me?._.." She cried frightfully. _"Joker just wants to torture all of us one by one, but...what's he going to do..._to me_?" _She wiped her nose and sniffled some more, tilting her head upwards. "Batman...where are you?" She whispered into the air.

She shrugged wearily, trying to relieve herself of her current thoughts. _"Maybe I'll go and get something to eat." _She bit her lip. _"_Hopefully_ there's still something to eat in the food court...if people haven't trashed it or something."_

Now she began to make her way to the very bottom of the mall, since the food court was located slightly below ground floor: a large section for all the fast-food places to have to themselves. When she got down there, she already spotted numerous people either muttering their worries to one another, or they were eating up all that they can; taking advantage of their current situation.

_"Now...what do I feel like eating?... Burgers? Nah, I don't really want anything like that..."_ Xack then caught sight of a sign for a pizza stand. _"I love pizza. I'll have that."_

As she neared the place, her eyes boggled when she saw who was already at the counter: the one whom she kept referring to in her head as "that Goth kid" or "young man" since she didn't catch his name. Xack watched the young man from earlier arguing with one of the employees, whom she figured either didn't escape the mall in time, or he took pride on holding down the fort, no matter what happened around him.

"Come on! Make a pizza already!" The Goth whined to the employee on the other side of the counter. "Your 'ready-to-go' ones are gone already, and it's not like I know how to make them!" He snorted sarcastically after.

The stuck-up employee snorted himself. "Look, I'm not making you one! You gotta pay like everyone else!"

The dark-clothed one raised an eyebrow, dumbstruck by the words said to him. "Bullshit! 'Everyone else' didn't pay, so why should I?"

All the employee did at this point was continuously shoo the Goth away, making the later raise his hands up in frustration. As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of Xack. At first, he didn't seem to really recognize her, but as he continued to wonder why she looked so familiar, then it dawned on him. Instead of appearing surprised by her presence, he appeared irritated. "You again?" He stated somewhat disgustedly, scoffing. He crossed his arms. "Have you been stalking me?" The Goth questioned.

Xack scoffed herself. "_No_," she stressed to him frustratingly. "I-I was hungry too, so I...so I came down here." She shook her head slowly. "I didn't know you were here."

The young man changed to leaning on a different side. "Uh huh, sure. Of all the places to be in this mall, you just wind up here at the same time as me."

"I'm serious!" Xack shot back truthfully. "I wasn't following you."

He stared for another moment...then sighed, looking to each of his sides. "Well, the asshole behind me isn't going to give you any pizza, if that's what you wanted," he said somewhat gloomily.

"Oh?" Xack peered over his shoulder and onto the rather grumpy pizza employee, still eyeing the Goth suspiciously.

When Xack was just about to turn herself around, horrible vibrations shook the floors in the distance, followed by people's screams. The shock of it got worse at each passing second, since it seemed to draw nearer to Xack and the young man.

Shortly after, the Goth's eyes grew wide in fear, followed by him shouting, "Oh my God!"

The screams were now _there_. Whatever was causing all the ruckus now reached Xack. She spun around and immediately froze in terror. She found what was making everyone shriek with fright. Up on the floor above the food court...was a humanoid/reptilian figure that basically towered over any person in the mall. _"He"_- since Xack assumed from the physique that it was male-then leaped up into the air and landed with a thunderous _'smash' _right into the food court area. The reptilian creature left a large indentation in the floor. As he stood up, he tugged on a large contraption around his neck, which Xack wasn't sure what it could be.

Xack and the Goth hurriedly backed away as the creature went straight past them and to a small fast-food place that served beef of all sorts. It didn't make Xack feel any better since some people were still screaming at the top of their lungs, and she wished they would just be quiet now.

The two were just aghast as they watched the reptile-like monster leaned over the counter to grab whatever kind of beef was lying around, and then practically swallowing the food whole, bone and everything!

"Oh my God, that's Killer Croc!" the Goth whispered between his heavy, frantic breathing.

"Killer Croc?" Xack seemed a bit confused. "I-I never seen him before- I mean, I've _heard_ things about him, but...never seen him before..." She appeared completely shaken up at this time. "What would h-he be doing at a place like this? Is he working for...for Joker?"

He scoffed. "How the hell would I know?"

Xack sighed. "I-I wasn't asking you _directly_, I just meant-" Then her attention came back onto Killer Croc, who continued to raid food stands with large quantities of meat. Ever so slowly, the two took a few steps closer to Killer Croc to get an ever better look at him.

The Goth shook his head in disbelief. "There is no way something like him is even possible to create; although..." he began to mumble quietly to himself. "If Pamela can turn into that _'Poison Ivy'_, then I guess anything is possible these days..."

"What?" Xack couldn't hear him quite well.

He crossed his arms. "...Nothing..."

Now Xack became more fascinated with the creature before them. "Does he..." Xack breathed. "Does he...talk?"

"'Course I talk!" Killer Croc roared, frustrated that they were talking about him behind his back. He whirled around to face the two frightened people.

They both yelped in shock at the creature's sudden outburst towards them. The two coward when Killer Croc closed the distance between them, almost snarling in disgust. "Don' think I can't 'ear you two talkin' 'bout me." He growled inwardly, taking a few steps closer to them.

The Goth was trying to control his shaking, but it wasn't doing much good. Either way, Killer Croc knew the younger one was terrified. Xack, on the other hand, tried to remain calm as best as she could, considering this isn't the first she's confronted insane or "mutant" criminals. Her fear was still apparent though.

"Um...We're so _sorry_, miss-ter Killer Croc," Xack apologized with great concern, fidgeting with her hands. "We didn't mean to...to talk about you behind your back. It's just...um, we...we never seen you before in person..." She gave him a small, reassuring smile, but Killer Croc's cold and unforgiving expression remained.

Killer Croc crossed his arms, scowling down at her. "You kids need to mind your- ...wait a minute..." The reptilian creature sniffed the air, catching an all-too-familiar scent near him. He narrowed his eyes dangerously at Xack, and the girl had no clue why. Without warning, he snatched Xack's arm with a blink of an eye, trying to keep her from getting away as he smelled her "scent" with curiosity. Xack, on the other hand, was on the verge of screaming of her personal space being invaded.

When he seemed to be through, he stared back at her with wide eyes, snorting softly. "Why do ya smell like..._him_?..." Killer Croc growled murderously. He continued to hold her arm tightly, squeezing it now to get an answer out of her.

Xack whined from the pain. "I...I don't...I don't know who 'him' is!" She cried. Between herself and Killer Croc, they were attracting more people to watch in astonishment.

Killer Croc grunted, "That damn _clown_ who orchestrated this lil' happenin'..." He lowered his head so he could looker her in the eye.

"Wh-what do you mean I smell like _him_? What does that _mean_?" She stressed in panic, her breathing starting to escalate.

"You-" Suddenly, he roared, letting go of Xack to quickly glance over his shoulder. "And what do ya think you're doin' over there, _skinneh_?" Xack backed away from the creature, and leaned over to one side, and she couldn't believe what she witnessed. While Killer Croc was too caught up on wondering why Xack had part of Joker's scent on her, that Goth kid had silently sneaked around behind him to better study the thick, heavy tail. He had very cautiously, and carefully lifted it up to further inspect, but that didn't last, especially when the reptile could feel something was off. The Goth immediately dropped the tail as soon as Killer Croc glared at him with rage.

"Jus' what are ya doin' with my tail, skinneh?" He bellowed again, now turning himself around to face the shaken-up young man.

The Goth, whom had gotten better at composing himself to the creature before him, took a step back with his hands held up in front of him. "I was just...curious..." He admitted quite calmly, still somewhat in thought over all this. "I never knew a creature like you was quite possible to create, but obviously science has...wait, 'skinny'?" He crossed his arms and looked up at Killer Croc with distaste. "Did you just call me _skinny_?" He asked, not liking _any_ nicknames at all.

"Croc!" All three of them heard a voice from above, and they glanced up to see Joker peering down at them. His grinning never ceased, and Xack wondered how long the clown could keep a grin on his face. "Less chit-chat, and more of that muscle power up here!" He then held up something in his hand, but no one could tell what it was. When Xack looked onto Killer Croc, she figured he must of known what it does, because the creature growled softly and pulled on his "collar" once more.

Killer Croc turned back to her and the young man with slight disgust. "I better not see ya around me again, skinneh, 'less I 'ave to teach ya some manners..." He then walked away from them, making a huge leap up onto the floor Joker happened to be on. He took one angered glance at the clown before he passed him.

When Killer Croc was out of Joker's sight, he stared down at Xack with a much wider, eager grin. "I guess I'll be seeing you on our little date later on, hmm?" He giggled with amusement as he turned himself away and strolled out of sight from the floor below.

Xack felt all the energy and color drain from her body. Her mouth was left agape in shock and rising panic. "Daaaaaaate..." she drawled slowly, not believing her owns words coming out of her mouth. "D-date?" She gasped frighteningly, clutching a hand to her chest.

The Goth turned to her with a peculiar look to him. "Why do you keep saying that like you didn't know about it?" He wondered half caringly.

"Because I _didn't_ know about it," she snapped at him somewhat rudely, staring off into the distance. "He never told me _anything_ like that."

He scoffed, "You sure you didn't just forget?"

"Yes I'm sure," Xack told him more angrily. "I think I would remember something like that!"

Her hands shook as she brought them to her head, now seating herself down in a nearby chair in the food court. "Oh my God...!" Xack leaned into herself, holding her stomach for comfort. To the young man's ears, she sounded like she was either going to cry uncontrollably, or have a mental breakdown...or maybe both. "This just keeps getting worse...and _worse_! She sobbed. "I-I can't do this! I can't...I can't do this with Joker- I _won't_!"

Between her sobs, the Goth slipped her a napkin he found nearby. Xack took it and wiped her eyes with it. "Thanks," she mumbled quietly, sniffling a little afterwards. She titled her head up to look at the young man. "So, um... I-I'm just...I've just been wondering...what's your name?"

He chuckled slightly. "What?"

Xack quickly looked down at her feet. "Well, it's just, every time I see your face, I keep- no offense- I keep referring to you as 'that Goth' or 'young man'..." She smiled at him apologetically. "You never told me your name."

The Goth seemed to stare off else where when he spoke. "Well, you never asked." He paused for a moment, then sighed wearily. "I'm Jonathon," he said at last, looking back at her now.

"I'm...I'm Xack," she said, smiling a little more brightly, but Jonathon could tell by her disposition that she was still in low spirits.

"Um...okay..." Jonathon shrugged, not caring to know what her name was. "So...why did that Killer Croc say you 'smelled' like...Joker, right?"

Xack shot a bewildered look to him, while Jonathon merely crossed his arms and waited for a reply. She stared down at her hands...fidgeting with them. "I..." she scoffed nervously. "I...I don't know." Her mind was frantically trying to find an answer, but nothing was coming across.

Jonathon looked all around him, lost in thought. Xack turned to him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Just...I can't see Killer Croc working with Joker," Jonathon decided to announce his thoughts with concern. "If you ask me, I think there's more to all of this than just a simple 'hostage takeover'."

* * *

**Author's note: **I'm sorry this took almost a _year _to update (for those that are still following). Just to let everyone know, this isn't on my priority list for stories to finish, since the one I do want to work on more is "Sick". Also: I still do artworks when I'm not typing stories, so that's another reason why it takes longer for me to update.


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